India Simulator

In modern India, the dominant language is English, people wear suits and use Powerpoint. However, just below the globally standardized surface, misconceptions lurk and intercultural traps lie in wait at every street corner. What qualities does a German manager need to have in order to work effectively in Mumbai or Delhi? Flinntheater asked four Indian writers this question. In response, they developed role-plays and tasks for the INDIA SIMULATOR™, in which they test Germans prior to their departure. What exactly is intercultural competence, this highly praised quality required everywhere these days? What do Indian writers think that Germans should learn?

INDIA SIMULATOR™ is a masala of theatre and performance, a hardcore meditation on German-Indian stereotypes and a utopian assessment centre designed for the day when India and China take over the global economy.

A Flinntheater production

Created by Sophia Stepf (concept and direction), Florian Hacke (performance), Lisa Stepf (performance), Ajay Krishnan, Ram Ganesh Kamatham, Shivani Tibrewala, Santanu Bose & Flinntheater (text), Jonas Nagel (light and sound operation), Carolin Rosenheimer & Isabel Feifel (production management)

Supported by Cultural Office of the City of Kassel, Hessian Ministry of Science and Art, Gerhard-Fieseler-Foundation, Dr. Wolfgang Zippel-Foundation, Sparkasse Kassel and karaburun tours

Press

India Simulator is a dynamic hard-hitting performance centred on the question of how German managers can prepare adequately for working in India (…). The project was developed by Sophia Stepf, who works in India herself, and performed by Florian Hacke and Lisa Stepf. It manages to blend prejudices, stereotypes and a hilarious Bollywood-like choreography to create a dramatic play between laughter and critical reflection.

Die Deutsche Bühne

In a time when the G8 has turned into the G20 and emerging markets like India have significantly expanded economically, German workers will be relocating to India. But how well does the integration into a different culture really work? Sophia Stepf, who also works as a drama coach and director in India, has created a compelling and very intelligent collage from texts by Ajay Krishnan, Ram Ganesh Kamtham, Shivani Tibrewala, and Santanu Bose, as well as drawing on her own experiences. The piece was lauded at its premiere at Dock 4 last Sunday. The two actors, Lisa Stepf and Florian Hacke, are comical, expressive and full of energy as they switch in and out of roles, sometimes playing the victim, sometimes the perpetrator; the dramatic location is an assessment centre used by companies to select their future employees. Through well-placed Indian stereotypes, a hilarious Bollywood-like choreography with songs and dance and superimposed Hindi sayings (light & sound design: Jonas Nagel), Flinntheater took the delighted audience at the sold out Dock 4 on a turbulent trip filled with riots of laughter. An example of first class contemporary theatre that critically reflects on current issues.

Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine (HNA)